MARTINEZ, Calif. – Today, a 9:00 a.m. meeting of the city council’s Marina Sub-committee is open to the public, but there will be no votes or major decisions made.

Mayor Rob Schroder and Councilman Mark Ross are the committee members who will review the public draft of the Marina Trust Lands Use Plan (TLUP) before it is submitted to the Planning Commission.

“The highest priority should be assigned to conservation, park and recreation uses at the waterfront,” according to the Plan, but the plan will also have to show a way to create enough income/revenue to cover the costs of maintaining it.

With an approved plan, a city representative can offer opportunities to private developers with some assurance of what improvements will be permitted and approved by the city and the state, which has a right to final approval of leases negotiated by the city.

There will be public meetings required for decisions such as general plan amendments, design reviews, development agreements, use permits, and zoning changes as development occurs in the future.

There is a list of recommended policies attached to the TLUP, and potential flood water and earthquake maps, which will make approvals for construction of anything located in the Marina area more complicated.

On an Earthquake Shaking Potential map, the entire Trust Lands have a “violent” ground shaking intensity, and “high” liquefaction potential if an earthquake occurs along the Concord-Green Valley Fault.

It is on the water so the San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC) has control of the Carquinez Strait, marshlands lying between mean high tide and five feet above mean sea level, and land that is within 100 feet of the shoreline’s mean high tide watermark.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Trust Lands lie within the 100-year flood plain, and the state is predicting that will rise within the next 50 years.

“The State’s Sea Level Rise Guidance Document (2018) projects a ‘likely’ (66% probability) increase in sea level at the San Francisco tide gauge of 13 inches by 2050, using the year 2000 as a baseline.

Whatever is planned for the area will have to include ways to help mitigate those issues, and the City has budgeted $500,000 for that planning process.

Last on the TLUP recommended policies list is: Policy 9 – Existing industrial and non-water-related commercial activities should be concentrated, attractively maintained and screened from view. Ultimately, incompatible waterfront uses should be relocated to other suitable locations. That has also been addressed in the Waterfront Planning.

According to the Trust agreement, waterways are to be preserved for use and enjoyment by the public. The protection of maritime or water-dependent commerce, navigation, and fisheries, the preservation of lands in their natural state for the purposes of scientific study, open space, wildlife habitat, and water-oriented recreation is also required.

The TLUP conforms to state rules for the trust, the city’s Master Plan, and is the City of Martinez’s long-term vision for the Trust Lands focuses on improving access to the area, preservation of existing habitats and resources, and integration of the Trust Lands into the fabric of the City in order to maximize public benefit, according to the authors of it.

All of these details are on Attachment 5 of the TLUP, on the City of Martinez website.

The board will discuss an alternate meeting date for November when Veteran’s Day falls on Monday, and take a final vote on eliminating the use of herbicide products containing the chemical glyphosateon on school property. This is in alignment with established goals and direction of MUSD’s Integrated Pest Management program.

Helen Rossi will present the unaudited actuals for last yea’s budget to the board and close of the books for the prior fiscal year provides the district with a beginning balance for the current budget year.

The board will also review and adopt a resolution identifying their annual appropriations limit for the preceding fiscal year, known as the Gann Limit. It establishes limits on allowable growth in government spending.

They will also accept donations to John Muir Elementary School from Walt Disney Company for $590.000 and PG&E Your Cause for 140.00.

]]>https://martinezgazette.com/musd%e2%80%88board-meets-monday/feed/09637Residents call for independent redistricting at Council meetinghttps://martinezgazette.com/residents-call-for-independent-redistricting-at-council-meeting/
https://martinezgazette.com/residents-call-for-independent-redistricting-at-council-meeting/#respondSun, 08 Sep 2019 08:00:50 +0000https://martinezgazette.com/?p=9628MARTINEZ, Calif. – More than a dozen people, including representatives of the Women’s League of Voters, Common Cause and 1000 Friends of Martinez urged the city council to adopt an ordinance establishing an independent redistricting commission at a Sept. 4 meeting

Speaking for a new group, Martinez Residents for an Independent Redistricting Commission, Mike Flemming asked the council to put a proposed ordinance establishing such a commission on the next council agenda for two reasons.

First, because the existing city council election district boundaries were influenced by politics, they are not compact, cohesive, nor do they conform to election standards, according to Flemming and other speakers.

“I was happy with the at-large (election process), but now that we must have (district) maps, I do not think it should be gerrymandered,” resident Christine Shannon remarked

Secondly, by doing so, the council could end legal action against the City of Martinez, brought by resident Felix Sanchez and his attorney Kevin Shenkman.

The effort to establish an independent commission began a chain of events sparked by a letter from Shenkman, a Malibu attorney who threatened, in Oct. 2017, to sue the City on behalf of a San Antonio, Texas, Latino activist organization.

Shenkman has a practice of similar sending letters to elected bodies, (including the Martinez Unified School District) accusing them of using at-large voting systems to dilute the votes of minorities.

Shenkman had a winning record at that time. Palmdale fought Shenkman in court and lost $7 million-plus another $4.6 million for attorney compensation in a court-imposed by-district voting case.

With that in mind, the City capitulated to demands that its former “at-large” elections stop and that the city form neighborhood districts. A consultant was hired to design the map and a number of public meetings were held.

The consultant was reportedly asked to draw lines so each district was generally a microcosm of the city instead of each district being a one-seat representation of each part of town. The idea was to avoid balkanizing the town.

It seems the council got what was requested. Resident Linda Lang mentioned that one current district contains 15 neighborhoods, as she reiterated the objections of the other speakers.

Consultant National Demographics Corp. then observed that although there is a somewhat larger Latino population in one area, minority populations are generally spread throughout the city.

They said population differences in each of the districts had to be less than a combined 10 percent. Many maps were discussed before the adoption of the present one, which some say looks like slices of bread. Apparently four of the five council members live downtown, within blocks of each other.

The first city council districted election for four members of the council was held in November 2018, with the Mayoral vote remaining at-large.

The current Sanchez lawsuit reportedly alleges the district lines were gerrymandered.

Helen Grieco, California Common Cause activist said she had had meetings with city officials and Shenkman, and that she had helped provide an ordinance that the city could approve. “I am here…put me to work.” she commented. The non-partisan organization was founded in 1970 for the purpose of providing information on good governance practices, according to Grieco.

Harland Strickland, a 37-year resident stated, “Martinez residents outside of downtown are interested in more than ‘potholes and dog parks.’” Then he listed a series of issues including traffic and schools. (Martinez Students attend schools in two school districts.)

Referring to the Sanchez lawsuit, Mark Thomson said to the council, “We are stuck with these districts. You have been offered a way to get past this issue.” Thomson is a former council candidate and part of the 1000 Friends of Martinez organization.

Debi Reuters held up a map of Antioch, with no “nooks and crannies.” “I’m tired of the city wasting money on lawsuits If you can’t do the right thing you shouldn’t be in it,” Roiter remarked. “Voters should choose city council members, not the council choosing them.”

Finally, Mayor Rob Schroder said the council could not respond at this time, and he is not completely sure that the lawsuit would be dropped, even if the council adopted the ordinance to form an independent redistricting commission. The council will be discussing it with city attorneys.

]]>https://martinezgazette.com/residents-call-for-independent-redistricting-at-council-meeting/feed/09628Homelessness pilot program paying off, moves to new locationhttps://martinezgazette.com/homelessness-pilot-program-paying-off-moves-to-new-location/
https://martinezgazette.com/homelessness-pilot-program-paying-off-moves-to-new-location/#respondSun, 08 Sep 2019 08:00:02 +0000https://martinezgazette.com/?p=9632MARTINEZ, Calif. – “It’s working,” Vice Mayor Noralea Gipner jubilantly announced to the city council about a pilot program designed to help resolve the seemingly intractable homeless situation in Martinez.

She and Martinez Police Community Resource Officer (CRO) Rodney Brinser teamed up to approach it as a health as a safety issue, and Gipner is turning it into a larger collaboration.

She has been doing extensive research and networking to discover the most expeditious way to meet the immediate needs of local homeless persons, and help them become able to handle their own needs in the future.

Once a week in August, new restrooms with showers were delivered to a downtown location, a medical unit and social services experts were there to advise homeless persons of potential housing opportunities and other services.

After the pleasure of a shower, haircut and clean clothing Gipner said a chronically homeless woman agreed to accept long term housing. That event is consistent with other data Gipner has gathered.

Her efforts to find solutions for the homeless brought her into contact with Donna Colombo at the Trinity Center in Walnut Creek. That organization has had successes in resolving problems associated with homelessness in Walnut Creek. It has moved from its location nest to the church to Trinity 1300 Boulevard Way (with a shuttle), until its new home, St. Pauls Common is completed.

One tip was that “people relate to, and help the homeless more if they blend in,” according to Gipner’s report at the Sept. 4 council meeting. Her seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm have garnered the collaboration of the city council, The Bay Church and The CORE (Contra Costa County’s Community Outreach program for health, housing and homelessness).

Through its Clean Start program, The Bay Church has been providing two free loads of laundry (with soap and other necessities) a month at a local laundromat for years. Their volunteer experience interfacing with the homeless led to the church’s acquisition of four new complete bathrooms on a mobile unit that can be delivered to a location near the laundry. Guests are provided with hair cuts, other necessities, information, and a sense of fellowship at the same time.

The location of the showers, along with the other services will continue on Wednesdays but move from Green Street to the parking lot near the sports complex on the other side of the railroad tracks north of Ferry Street for more room.

Now Gipner Is organizing a meeting with local faith-based leaders, and a committee to get porta-potties in a discreet location downtown, at the waterfront and near the horse arena and baseball fields. “These are not just for homeless people, these are for residents at events, shoppers and visitors too,” she insisted.

Gipner attended the Sept. 5 Contra Costa Council on Homelessness meeting with an agenda focused on funding allocations and a list of 39 acronyms on the back so attendees could keep up. In July the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development announced there would be $15.4 million available to help people looking for shelter. That includes low income and homeless individuals and families, regardless of the reason. Sept. 27 is the deadline for application.

All of the Contra Costa non-profits and local agencies compete for each locale’s portion of the funds, depending on the perceived need, which is determined by a homeless count and other data. It is a fairly complicated process to qualify and groups without at least a one-year track record will likely be on the second tier of choices if qualified at all.

Gipner got a taste of what is ahead for the 501-C she is in the process of assembling, along with a board of directors. She said the opportunities are quicker and better working through a local non-profit than the government, but she has taken a deep dive into public services of all kinds to deal with the homeless in Martinez.

She credits the results to support from the mayor, the city council and Police Chief Manjit Sappal, and is looking for more volunteers, clothing, and members for the 501-C board of directors.

The Martinez Police Department is inviting the public to join them in celebrating 100-years of keeping the community safe with a Safety Fair.

The 100th Anniversary Safety Fair Celebration will at Ignacio Plaza, in front of City Hall on Sept. 7, from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Come to meet the officers, learn safety tips of all kinds, enjoy light refreshments, and the chance to win a raffle prize or a prize for being able to answer a spontaneous question about safety.

Police will be there to talk about community safety, PG&E will have acts about electrical and gas safety, ConFire will cover fire prevention techniques, the California Highway Patrol addresses driving safety tips, the Martinez Unified School District will have Back-to-School safety information, and East Bay Regional Parks has been invited to provide safe practices in nature.

There may be other safety information sources there, and according to Sgt. Fred Ferrer, local hardware stores have donated safe prices such as a fire extinguisher or a second-story fire escape ladder.

Ferrer will roam the party to quiz the guests with a safety question chosen from one of the public safety tables at the Fair. The right answer will make that person the winner of one of the donated prizes.

This is a great opportunity to heighten safety awareness for kids, and it is never too late for an adult to get to know local police and learn something new.

The settlement approved Aug. 26, includes a restructuring of all MEA salary schedules, plus a 2% wage increase. All stipends will increase by 4 percent effective as of July 1, 2019.

There were no changes to health benefits, and there were changes to some articles that the parties agreed will help improve working conditions, labor relations and add clarity to the contract language.

]]>https://martinezgazette.com/musd-and-mea-reach-agreement/feed/09619City Council returns tonight from summer break with full agendahttps://martinezgazette.com/city-council-returns-tonight-from-summer-break-with-full-agenda/
https://martinezgazette.com/city-council-returns-tonight-from-summer-break-with-full-agenda/#respondWed, 04 Sep 2019 08:00:22 +0000https://martinezgazette.com/?p=9603MARTINEZ, Calif. – City Manager Eric Figueroa is recommending that some of the key provisions of new labor agreements be incorporated into the City’s Management Compensation Plan. The estimated cost of the proposed adjustments for Fiscal Year 2019-20 is approximately $87,000 in the current fiscal year and $174,000 when fully implemented in the fiscal year ending 2021. (See box below for recommendations)

New agreements were made with labor unions this year, but there are city employees not represented by an organization. Figueroa wants to revise the MCP accordingly.

“I thought, let’s standardize our best practices and compensation,” he said. “When the council approved the budget we talked about having to do it without labor agreements in place.” The council had the foresight to leave some funds in the budget, in anticipation of added labor costs that would occur after the budget was approved, according to Figueroa.

PG&E will give a service update and the Martinez Firewise Community will give an in-depth view of how to prepare for emergencies of all kinds, CERT training and how to work with neighbors to keep your neighborhood safe.

Consent Calendar

Beyond routine items such as notices of completion, the Consent Calendar often contains interesting insights into the workings of city government that are usually missed because all of the resolutions are approved as a group without a public reading of the details. Occasionally a council member may ask to remove an item for discussion, but that is not the norm.

These are a few of the September 4, council’s Consent Calendar items:

Grant for new zoning ordinance

The City of Martinez is applying for $160,000 to SB2 Planning Grants Program Funds to Accelerate Housing Production. That is the maximum available for cities of less than 50,000 population.

The funds will be used to cover the costs of creating a new zoning ordinance to implement the vision of the new General Plan. “The new zoning ordinance will be written to leverage the acceleration of new housing, especially in the downtown area while preserving the small-town character and high quality of life that Martinez enjoys,” according to the Planning Department report on the application. “It will streamline accessory dwelling unit regulation and update the City’s design criterion using objective design standards that will be clear, easy to understand and legally defendable.”

The application is due by Nov. 30, 2019, and Martinez appears to qualify on the basis of the following criteria for uses of the funds: Accelerate housing production, Streamline the approval of housing development, Facilitate housing affordability, Promote the development of housing; and, Ensure geographic equity in the distribution and expenditure of allocated funds.

Amend CalPERS contract

This is a technical clean-up for the publication of the ordinance, with no substantive changes to the JFA agreement, according to the city manager.

Figueroa said the staff was reviewing and closing files and discovered a minor error in publication, which they are correcting.

Ordinance No.1424 amends the Contract between the City of Martinez and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration to provide for the merger of the Pleasant Hill – Martinez Joint Facilities Agency.

In 2018, Martinez borrowed $4 million on a line of credit to cover three years of back Social Security taxes and other expenses the city was required to pay as a result of almost 100 city workers having been employees of the then, 35-year-old agency that one councilman called a “shell corporation.”

In 1983, the Pleasant Hill-Martinez Joint Facilities Agency was reportedly created to operate and staff the two cities’ recreational facilities, but it seems neither city did that. There was no evidence the agency served its intended purpose or held meetings.

Nearly three-quarters of Martinez’s workforce were technically designated as employees of the Joint Facilities Agency, instead of the city. Apparently Pleasant Hill withdrew from the joint agency shortly after it was formed.

Investments

There are three investment reports (Sept. 30, 2018, Dec. 31, 2018, and March 31, 2019) in the form of a written statement from Carolyn Robinson, city treasurer. The City’s pooled investment portfolio and investments are held by our bond trustee US Bank, and the investment priorities are safety, liquidity, and yield. The securities are priced at June 30, 2017 values, and they may be worth more or less now. A cash and investment report attachment was mentioned at the bottom of the report, but details are not available online.

Interim City Engineers

When Tim Tucker, P.E. retired as City Engineer in March of 2019, Randall Leptien, P.E. of LCC, Inc. was hired as a temporary consultant. He has chosen not to renew the short-term contract and the City manager has been seeking a permanent replacement for Tucker and other engineering staff positions for the past five months.

After interviews with staff, the City selected Harris & Associates and 60-day agreement was signed by the City Manager. Upon successful completion of this period, staff will recommend an extension through the remainder of the fiscal year. The agreement names Scott D. Alman, P.E. as the contract City Engineer, and Lynne B. Filson, P.E., T.E. will be assigned to the work.

2. Individual merit increases will consider the financial health of the organization in addition to employee performance

3. Cost of living increase of 3.75% effective January 1, 2019

4. Elimination of a Bonus Plan, (section 1.4.1)

5. Elimination of discretionary administrative leave authorization provision for the City Manager

6, Additional discretionary authority for the City Manager to set an effective “years of service” level for new hires

7. Effective January 1, 2020, CalPERS Classic members will contribute an additional 2.0% of their employee contribution for a total obligation of the full 7% employee share

8. Change in bilingual pay from a percentage of salary to a flat $100 per month for one or more languages

9. Increase in Health Club reimbursement to $50

10. The following are the substantive changes which are proposed to be made that only apply to sworn personnel portion of the MCP : Effective October 1, 2019, sworn MCP personnel shall receive a 3% Cost of Living increase – Salary Range Adjustments (increases) of approximately 4.75% effective January 1, 2020 – Education monthly incentive pay will be awarded based on completion of a Bachelor’s degree (6%) or Master’s degree (9%)

]]>https://martinezgazette.com/city-council-returns-tonight-from-summer-break-with-full-agenda/feed/09603SB 223 allows medical cannabis on K-12 campuseshttps://martinezgazette.com/sb-223-allows-medical-cannabis-on-k-12-campuses/
https://martinezgazette.com/sb-223-allows-medical-cannabis-on-k-12-campuses/#respondWed, 04 Sep 2019 08:00:07 +0000https://martinezgazette.com/?p=9605If Governor Gavin Newsom signs SB-223, California students will be allowed to take medical marijuana at K-12 schools, but only under certain conditions and only in districts that decide not to opt-out. In other words, it is not mandated by the state.

This means the Martinez Unified School District will likely be discussing the merits of adopting or not, the practice that this new law could initiate.

School districts and charter school governing boards can choose whether to allow a student’s parent or guardian to administer medicinal cannabis to a child on campus under strict supervision and conditions.

No cannabis of any sort is allowed within 1,000 feet of a school, so parents of pupils who consume medicinal cannabis during the school day, must take children 1,000 feet away from campus to administer medicine, and then return them to school.

The bill, called “Jojo’s Act” by state Sen. Jerry Hill (Santa Clara County area) was recently passed by the legislature in response to a situation involving a boy with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.

He was being treated with medicinal cannabis to forestall debilitating seizures that had prevented him from attending school.

His mother said, without the marijuana, he could experience as many as 50 seizures a day, according to an email from Sen. Hill’s office.

Reportedly Jojo graduated from high school in 2018 and currently attends classes as part of a continuing special education program.

Jojo’s Act, like laws in the eight states, does not permit students to self-administer; they prohibit the use of smokable or vapable medicinal cannabis; and they set conditions for administering it to students, according to Hill.

These are the conditions under which the marijuana is administered under the new law, according to Hill: “The student is a qualified patient with a valid written medical recommendation for medicinal cannabis, and that the student’s parent or guardian provide a copy of the recommendation to the school to keep on file.” The medicinal cannabis is not stored on campus, and typically, medicinal cannabis for children is administered as oil, capsules, tinctures, liquids or topical creams that do not have the psychoactive. The parent or guardian sign in when coming on campus to administer it to a student. They must not disrupt the educational environment or expose other students to medicinal cannabis.

The restrictions and requirements set by Jojo’s Act would meet or exceed those in other states, according to Senator Hill.

Major Grant Puts John Muir Land Trust At $3.75 Million Toward $4 Million Fundraising Goal

John Muir Land Trust ( JMLT, jmlt.org) announces that it has received a major grant of $2 million from the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB, wcb.ca.gov) toward the acquisition of Almond Ranch, a stunning 281-acre property south of downtown Martinez that has been a top priority of conservationists for decades. The grant was unanimously approved at the Wildlife Conservation Board Meeting on August 28, 2019. JMLT must raise $4 million by the end of 2019 to complete the project. The new funding from WCB puts JMLT just $250,000 short of that goal with four months to go.

Saving Almond Ranch from development—the alternative outcome—has many benefits. It would preserve a significant habitat corridor for wildlife, including several federally-listed species; protect three tributaries to the Alhambra Creek watershed; expand the Bay Area Ridge Trail Corridor and connect other major trails for the very first time; link large conserved landscapes; and open the property’s beautiful rolling hills along the Franklin Ridge to hikers, dog walkers, cyclists, bird watchers, equestrians, and nature lovers of all ages.

“The mission of the California Wildlife Conservation Board is to protect California’s spectacular natural resources for wildlife and for the public’s use and enjoyment. We work in partnership with conservation organizations and agencies to allocate funds for high priority acquisition projects,” said John Donnelly, Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. “Almond Ranch exemplifies the very special places we choose to protect, and John Muir Land Trust is precisely the sort of trusted partner we select. Permanently protecting Almond Ranch will be a huge win for everyone in California.”

The Campaign To Save Almond Ranch was launched with a first commitment of $1 million from the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD, ebparks.org) using funds made available by voters’ approval of Measure WW in 2008 for high priority community park projects. Additional funds are being raised from conservation-minded members of the general public.

“I cannot overstate how much the extraordinary grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board affirms the vital importance of protecting Almond Ranch, a fact established by the initial grant from the East Bay Regional Park District,” said Linus Eukel, Executive Director of John Muir Land Trust. “Almond Ranch is a treasure. Saving it protects critical habitat and clean water, offers close-to-home outdoor recreation, and makes vital trail connections that have been on everyone’s wish list for decades.”

Almond Ranch offers sweeping panoramic views of the Carquinez Strait and Bay Delta region to the north, Mount Diablo and the distant Sierra Nevada to the east, the rolling hills of Briones Regional Park to the south, and San Francisco Bay to the west. Saving the ranch would add one of the most important missing segments to the visionary 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail, and it would connect for the first time three large landscapes in Contra Costa County that comprise fully 18,000 acres of protected open space. Varied terrain includes hilly grasslands, forested valleys of oak-bay woodlands, scrub plant communities and riparian areas. The property provides rich habitat for a variety of native, rare and special-status species. The land is designated critical habitat for the Alameda whipsnake, a federally threatened species. Stock ponds on the ranch support another threatened species: the California red-legged frog.

“This grant from WCB affirms that Almond Ranch should be on the list of anyone who is considering a donation to protect our state’s precious natural lands,” added Eukel. Those wishing to donate to The Campaign To Save Almond Ranch may do so at jmlt.org.

About California Wildlife Conservation Board

The California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) is an independent body of the state within the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The California legislature created WCB in 1947 to conserve California’s wildlife habitats through land acquisition, wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement, and the development of wildlife-oriented public access facilities. Since its inception, WCB has allocated over $2.5 billion and has leveraged these funds to attract additional private and public resources that total close to $2.3 billion. With these funds, WCB has successfully helped acquire and restore more than 1.5 million acres of important habitat. wcb.ca.gov

About John Muir Land Trust

John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) protects and cares for open space, ranches, farms, parkland and shoreline in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. In a generation, John Muir Land Trust has become one of the leading forces for conservation in northern California. With 3,200 acres protected, many beautiful places in the East Bay are permanently preserved for recreation, wildlife habitat and spectacular scenic views. JMLT believes that the vitality of our open spaces is essential to the health of our earth, air, water, native plants and animals — and all of us. jmlt.org

]]>https://martinezgazette.com/campaign-to-save-almond-ranch-receives-2-million-from-california-wildlife-conservation-board/feed/09674Thompson Announces 2019 App Challenge: App design contest open to middle and high school studentshttps://martinezgazette.com/thompson-announces-2019-app-challenge-app-design-contest-open-to-middle-and-high-school-students/
https://martinezgazette.com/thompson-announces-2019-app-challenge-app-design-contest-open-to-middle-and-high-school-students/#respondSun, 01 Sep 2019 08:00:40 +0000https://martinezgazette.com/?p=9680Washington – Today Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that he is now accepting applications for his 2019 Congressional App Challenge open to all middle and high school-aged students from California’s Fifth Congressional District.

“Participating in designing the technology of the 21st Century is a vital part of ensuring our young people can meet the challenges of the future. That’s why I am glad to announce my 2019 Congressional App Challenge, a great competition that gives our students a chance to create content in new and exciting ways,” said Thompson. “Every year I am proud to see the incredible apps our students create and I look forward to seeing this year’s great submissions!”

Applications for the challenge must be submitted by Friday, November 1, 2019. You can click here to learn more and to submit your application.